Syncro / Syncro AS Firmware Release – V6.2 New Features

As part of the Syncro product range enhancement, new panel firmware versions have been released and will be installed in all panels produced from July 2010.

Building on the major firmware release V6.10 (see ITTL 39 for details) the following revisions have been added in V6.20:

• Improved test mode reset on large networks
  • The automatic reset process for zones in test mode has been modified to ensure that all detection devices are fully reset once the testing has been completed.
• Output Delay Bypass for two devices in fire (default ring mode)
  • This panel setting option has been re-instated following revisions in V6.10.
• Earth Fault reporting following disablement
  • There is a facility to disable the Earth Fault monitoring circuit as an Access Level 3 (Engineering) facility. In this firmware the panel will check to see if there are any active earth faults present when the disablement is cleared
• Apollo “View Devices over network”
  • In some configurations it has been identified that viewing XP95 integrated sounders on remote network panels the device is shown as an XPander wireless sounder devices. This is resolved in Version 6.20

• Hochiki Base Sounder Address
  • The control panel automatically addresses the Hochiki Base Sounders during the Autolearn sequence. It was found that occasionally not all sounders were being addressed and added to the panel configuration. A revision to the Autolearn process has resulted in the reliable addressing of these devices
• Argus Vega Device LED control
  • The number of detection devices Fire LEDs permitted to be illuminated is limited to five; to ensure the loop current is kept to a minimum. However it was been found that the active LED counter was being incremented for devices in fault. This is resolved in V6.20

• Argus Vega Device Reset
  • The method used in resetting the Argus Vega protocol devices has been improved in this version to speed up the device reset process
• Argus Vega Interrupt Processing Update
  • A revision has been made to improve the processing of fire interrupts when there are active fault or pre-alarm events from devices on the same loop.

Important Notes:

1) It is not possible to configure Syncro / Syncro AS panels with V6 or later firmware using V4.94 or older versions of Loop Explorer. Please ensure that you have Version 6 loop explorer installed on your computer. This was issued to registered customers in January 2010. Please contact Kentec if you require a version of Loop Explorer Version 6 update (subject to eligibility).

2) Do not mix V6 firmware panels with V5.xx or older panels on a network. The different menu options and modes of operation mean that Version 6 firmware is not compatible with older firmware versions

3) Do not attempt to update older Syncro control panels. Panels with display cards older than Issue 6 hardware (or over 5 years old) should not be updated. Older display cards use an AMD processor, which can generate noise on the address and data lines when running newer firmware, which in turn can result in intermittent re-initialising of the panel and “Watchdog fault” events.

Download Syncro / Syncro AS panel update files:

Returns Policy Revised for 2010

The Kentec returns and repairs policy has been updated to reflect the terms specified in the 2010-2011 price list, which starts from 1st August 2010.

From this date, we will not offer a Return Material Authorisation (RMA) for any product that is older than 3 months from the initial date of supply.
When the Operations Manager or Directors have issued an RMA, the goods must be returned to Kentec within 30 days accompanied with the RMA documentation. Failure to return the goods within this time will result in the cancellation of the RMA.

For any product failures within the warranty period, we offer a Service Replacement Item (SRI) service, whereby the fault is diagnosed with the Kentec technical support staff and replacement panel components are sent out to resolve the panel problem. This process should be used in favour of ordering a completely new panel then returning the original under the RMA process, as we can issue the replacement cards for next day delivery in most instances.

The RMA process is given in Page 3 of the price list.

The full Returns and Repairs policy may be downloaded from the Kentec web site or by following the link below.

Download the Kentec Returns and Repairs Policy: